


rewrite the stars

by antoniohiggins



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken, The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Everyone Is Gay, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Romantic Fluff, Self-Sacrifice, Trapeze, siblings!Race and Katherine, spot is a softie, sprace-centric with some background jackcrutchie and eventually javid kinda, the greatest showman au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-14 06:45:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13584534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antoniohiggins/pseuds/antoniohiggins
Summary: the greatest showman au!!!this will hopefully be a pretty long multi-chapter fic and i will try to update as often as i canbasically race is anne, spot is phillip, jack is p.t., crutchie is charity, davey is jenny, and kath is w.d.gayness ensues





	1. a million dreams (prologue)

Antonio Higgins, or his stage name, Race, had only wanted one thing his whole life. A chance to perform.

He’d loved to dance all his life, but when his sister Katherine came to him one day with a flyer for a traveling stunt show coming to New York, the two found their calling. Watching the duo of dancers swinging across the sky was like magic to their young eyes. From then on they became ‘Ace and Race’, both professionally adopting the nicknames they had given each other as kids. It wasn’t long before everyone for miles knew about the “trapeze twins” of New York City.

The problem was that jobs were tough to come by. Still, they managed to live a stable life in a small apartment thanks to their main jobs, taking actual trapeze and dance jobs whenever a local theater needed stunts. It wasn’t until they were twenty-two, both about ready to give up their dream for lack of an outlet when, just like before, Katherine came running home from her job at the local newspaper with a flyer in her hand.

“Kath, we cant keep doin’ this,” Race groaned, emerging from the kitchen at his sister’s announcement.

“No, that’s the thing! We won’t have to do things like this anymore! _Look_ ,” she spoke excitedly, practically shoving the poster in the boy’s face.

Race took it with a huff, scanning the words with a quickly-fading skepticism.

“Ace, I don’t know about this...,” he mumbled nervously as the girl brushed it off.

“There’s no harm in trying! Tony, come on, please! At least come with me to audition,” Katherine pleaded, looking up at her brother with a masterful pout on her face that she had mastered from years of getting her way.

“ _Fine_ ,” Race gave in, just accepting the grin that replaced his scowl.

 _“Yes!_ Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She practically dove into Race, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him tightly. “Now we just have to figure out what to wear!”

That’s how the rest of their night included the two sorting through their trunks of costumes from every show they had ever done together. After more time than they’d like to admit was spent trying them all on, they decided on all of the details for the next morning and choosing which of their routines to perform. Ultimately, their routine from the last show they had done together made the most sense and they both fell asleep quickly that night, somewhat from the excitement and also from the exhaustion of the night’s activities.

The following morning, Katherine practically dragged her brother out of bed, already fully dressed and ready to go before Race had even woken up.

“Fuck, Ace,” Race griped, rubbing his eyes as he stumbled over to the bundle of clothes Katherine had laid out for him on the way to the bathroom.

“You know you love me,” she called after him as Race just groaned again, pulling the door shut behind him.

Looking himself over in the mirror once he was in his costume was a last-ditch effort of sorts to get any already-brewing anxiety out of the way so he could at least _try_ to make Kath happy. As expected, it didn’t work very well and he ended up abandoning his efforts and linking arms with his sister as they walked down the streets of Manhattan.

Down at the theater, Jack Kelly and dozens of auditioning acts from all across the state were hard at work putting together his very own dream. A show unlike any other for his husband, Charlie, and their two daughters. How he was going to do that, he had no idea, but he would find a way.

Auditions were a good place to start, at least.

When the Higgins twins stepped into the Kelly Theater, Katherine squealed with excitement, grabbing Race’s hand and dragging him alone as they followed the signs to the main stage.

Race eventually freed himself from her grasp as they took their place in the line with the other acts. The two quickly began stretching while they waited, Race sliding easily into each of his splits as Katherine bent backward until she reached her ankles. Thankfully auditions were slow and the two felt slightly more confident in their abilities once they eventually sat down in front of Jack Kelly himself.

“Well, aren’t you two a couple’a lookers,” Jack started, looking them both over as Race blushed wildly, stammering as he attempted to find a response.

Kath was one step ahead of him as she rolled her eyes, ignoring him as she introduced them and their act.

“Trapeze, huh?” Jack leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest as he looked past them at the top of the theater as if he were imagining what he could possibly do with them. “Okay.”

Race and Katherine looked at each other, both confused, before turning back to Jack.

“Okay as in...?”

“Okay as in you’re hired,” he stated simply, both siblings’ jaws dropping as they stood to shake his hand.

“Oh my god, thank you!” Katherine immediately went to hug the man, not holding back her excitement as Race tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Rehearsals began that afternoon, Jack deciding not to waste time so that they could start performances as soon as possible. By the end of the day Race and Katherine were thoroughly sore and filled with three whole routines. Not much was said when they returned home, both of them far too tired to do anything but sleep, but the happiness filling the small apartment was obvious.

The next two days were the same, having breakfast together on the way to the theater every morning, learning more routines, and then leaving at the end of the night. It was nothing like they had ever done before, but they were really becoming a family with the other acts and, as much as Race hated to admit it, Katherine had been right after all.

This was something special and it didn’t take much to see it.


	2. come alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> spot finally makes an appearance! 
> 
> let's see just how "well" things go with this cute blondie he meets on his first day

The opening of the Kelly Museum’s new show was more exciting than any production Race and his sister had ever done. Their faces were on everything from posters on buildings to labels on milk bottles, more attention than they had ever been given, as they all anxiously prepared for opening night.

When it finally came, it was magic, unlike anything anyone could have possibly imagined. The crowds of a theater performance were nothing like they were at the newly-named circus. That night after the first show, Race and Katherine just held each other right as they both wept with happiness. They had finally found the way to their dream and, most importantly, they were able to do it together and with their newfound family by their sides.

So that was how they worked, one show a night, every night of the week, with crowds familiar and new and people old and young, all with smiles on their faces. Their new life was perfect. Everything the two had ever wanted was coming true but, at least to Race, there was still something missing. Not something materialistic, just some part of him that felt incomplete.

Nonetheless, he went to work with Katherine like he did every morning and joined her on the bars, practicing their exchanges. Everyone else in the show was in various places around the theater, nothing was strange or abnormal, but somehow that was the day that would change everything.

He linked his legs over the trapeze bar and sent Katherine soaring out of his hands as she grabbed the bar opposite his. Everything was normal until he swung back the opposite direction, his back arching towards the balcony at the end of the theater and right then time stood still.

There, standing on the balcony a few feet away, was Jack, but this time he wasn’t alone. Race had no idea who he was, but there was a man standing beside him that he took one look at and knew he had to find out. He looked about the same age as Race, but a little shorter and much more put-together. He was slightly sticky and far from the figure of someone long and lean like Race, but just his mere presence held authority. The moment they locked eyes it was like everything he thought was missing was suddenly...found.

Sadly, just as quickly as it had happened, he was gone, flipping off of his bar and latching onto Katherine’s waiting’s arms. When he finally swung back to the balcony, the boy was gone and that was that. The rest of rehearsal went about as slowly as possible, but he and his sister did well. They always did. When they finally wrapped for the day, Race changed back into his regular clothes, tugging on a loose-fitting sweater and trousers before leaving the main stage to put away his things. Katherine was already there, putting away her new wig, and Race quickly told her he would be leaving a bit early before rushing out to the front lobby.

As much as he secretly did, he told himself not to care about the boy from earlier that day. He was tempted to ask Jack when he saw him standing by the main doors, but before he could decide, he froze dead in his tracks, a hand wrapped around his shoulder.

It was as if he knew exactly who it was just out of pure instinct.

He turned around and there he was.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but tell you,” the boy started, his voice polished and more refined than anyone Race had ever heard. Nothing like he was used to. “I saw you practicing earlier.”

Despite the awkward mood that came with Race’s sudden feeling of inferiority, he felt his cheeks heat up, attempting to hide it as he crossed his arms over his chest.

The boy looked slightly hurt at Race’s lack of a response, retracting his hand from the other’s shoulder. Race’s face fell, not meaning to have offended him.

“You’re incredible,” he gushed, a sad smile on his face as Jack suddenly appeared beside him. Race was seconds away from forcing out a shy ‘thank you’ when the moment was, unsurprisingly, ruined.

“Ahh, Racer! I see you’ve met my new partner,” Jack started as the other waved awkwardly. “Sean, meet Antonio Higgins. Tony, this gentleman would be Sean Conlon, esteemed ex-playwright.”

They shook hands, more out of the common courtesy than what either of them actually felt was necessary.

“He’s really somethin’, huh Sean?” Jack nudged the other suggestively as Race shifted awkwardly.

“Yeah,” Spot mumbled, his cheeks reddening and his eyes brightening.

Race looked up from his shoes, surprised that Spot actually answered with what he assumed to be a genuine compliment.

“I-I should probably get going,” Race rushed out, waving a small goodbye to Spot before heading out of the doors to the busy New York streets. Most days he was lucky. The rest of the acts didn’t have the same luxury of being able to look just like anybody else, but he did. When he and Katherine left their apartment building to go to work every morning, no one could tell where they were going.

The problem was, whenever they left the theater, suddenly everyone knew exactly who they were. The glares from strangers were burning him as he hesitantly made his way down the steps, trying his best not to actually look at any of their faces.

In fact, he actually made it a few steps past the stairs before anyone dared to actually do more than just spew slurs at him. Just when he thought he was safe, a strong hand wrapped around his wrist, causing his heart to skip a few beats as his blood went cold.

“Well, well, well,” the man’s voice boomed through his ears. He could feel the lump forming in his throat as he tried to block out the man. “You think you can just get away with being a  _ freak  _ just ‘cause you don’t look like all of them?” He pointed back towards the theater with his free hand and Race gulped.

He tried to pull away as the man’s hot breath brushed against his neck, his hand gripping him even tighter as Race’s heart started beating rapidly.

“Please…,” he whimpered as the man spun him around, gripping his upper arms as he stared straight into his face, an evil grin on his lips.

“Damn, you’re no fun,” he teased, tracing one hand up the boy’s body, watching him writhe in fear underneath his touch. “I was kinda’ hoping you’d put up a fight.”

He had considered it. He was strong, trapeze was no walk in the park, and he knew he could probably at least but himself some time, but he was frozen, His hands remained trembling at his sides and his feet were glued to the ground, but his head was screaming at him to fight back. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Tears building in the corners of his eyes slowly began to fall as the man’s slowly-rising hand crept it’s way up to the boy’s neck and Race just squeezed his eyes shut and let the man’s other hand hold his arms behind his back.

“ _ Hey! _ ” A sharp call from just a few yards behind him caught the both of their attention as Race slowly looked up. There was Sean, Jack close on his heels, as they bounded down the stairs to him, anger and fear written all over their faces. “Get away from him!”

Spot grabbed the man by his shoulders, ripping him away from Race as Jack lunged at him, dragging him far away from the other two boys.

“Antonio? Tony, it’s okay. You’re okay, I got you. No one’s going to hurt you,” Spot murmured, trying to soothe the other boy’s frantic breathing and erratic heartbeat. He lifted a hand to gently brush away Race’s tears and attempted to help him return back to at least somewhat normal. “Jack, are you okay to handle this? I’m just going to walk him home just in case.”

Jack nodded, and Spot wrapped his arm around Race’s shoulders, making the latter flinch on instinct.

“No, I’m fine, you really don’t have to do that,” Race mumbled out, very clearly lying as Spot immediately retracted his hand. “I-I’ll be okay.”

Spot chuckled softly, slipping his hands into his pockets.

“I don’t doubt that,” he spoke, smiling honestly. “I’m clearly not as used to this as you seem to be, but I’d sure feel a lot better if I didn’t have to worry about it happening again.”

Race blushed, nodded shyly and stepping into a stride alongside Spot. Something just felt…comfortable and whatever he thought was missing before, didn’t really seem so far away anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again to anyone who stuck around for a second chapter! writing this fic is so much fun and i really hope you all are liking it! the next chapter might be a little slow, but i promise things are really going to pick up soon;) 
> 
> as i'm sure some of you have noticed, i'm trying to stick to the actual timeline from the movie as much as possible, but there aren't as many canon phillip/anne scenes from the movie and tbh i just want more sprace so i'm going to be adding some scenes like that last one so that this fic isn't literally three chapters. also! if people want, i am willing to write some jackcrutchie or javid interludes throughout the fic to play into the events of the movie, but it will still remain predominately sprace. if you guys would like that, let me know in the comments or on tumblr @tony-higgins and i would be happy to add some in! there will still be little moments here and there, but i can also add full chapters of it if anyone is interested
> 
> so yeah, thanks again to anyone who reads/comments/gives kudos/etc! reading all of your comments and messages makes me so happy and definitely keeps me motivated to keep going with this fic, so thanks so much for everyone's amazing support! it means so much!!!
> 
> <3


	3. the other side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sort of just a chapter to set up for the next few events, but I still like how this turned out! it's also the longest one so far because i got a little carried away at the end lmao
> 
> this chapter, i will warn you guys, sorta handles the aftermath of what happened in the last chapter and handles a lot of themes surrounding panic attacks and the like. as much as i love my boy race, i had a friend help me with this fic and he helped me make the aftermath more accurate and that he probably would have a pretty horrible reaction to it, even if not immediately afterward. if this sort of topic is not safe or healthy for you to read, feel free to skip this chapter, i will include a brief and clean summary in the next chapter for anyone who does not choose to read this. also, for anyone that would prefer to read, i will mark the beginning and end of the scene with lines so if anyone wants to skip from when it starts to the end, that is also an option.
> 
> thanks for reading and enjoy the story!

Race remained apprehensive about the walk back, probably still shaken up, but having Sean there beside him actually helped to put his mind at ease a little. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Spot asked again as Race chuckled, assuring him for the seventh time so far that he was, indeed, "fine". They didn’t have much to talk about as they walked, which Spot took to mean something was wrong. In all honesty, Race felt fine. He knew it was probably still a little bit of the shock remaining and that come that night, he’d be a mess all over again, but as far as he was concerned there wasn’t anything for the other to be concerned about. 

"Thanks though. Usually, we don't get many regular people that actually treat us like we're real people. It means a lot, Sean," he explained, Spot looking up to see the sadness in his twinkling blue eyes. 

Spot nodded half-heartedly. He was right, every spectator, critic, and fan just wanted to see the show. They didn't really care that actual people with actual feelings were the ones on the receiving end of all of the protests and nasty reviews.

"Would it make you feel better?" Race glanced over at the other, shy confusion written all over his face. "To walk you home, I mean. I could walk you home from now on if you'd be safer. I'd hate for anything to happen to you if I can help it."

Race could feel his cheeks burning as he nodded quickly, earning a smile from the other boy. 

"Perfect," Spot grinned as Race stopped in front of his apartment building. "Well then, goodbye until tonight. To say this isn't exactly how I thought we'd meet is an understatement, but if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

He smiled sweetly, speaking with the manner of someone who was incredibly used to meeting new people. Race was most definitely the opposite and opted for an awkward wave and a small smile. 

"Thanks again," he gushed, just as Spot had turned to leave. "I, uh, I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there, and I don't know how I could ever make it up to you."

"Well," Spot smirked, leaning up against the wall of the apartment building. "I think seeing your show this evening will be thanks enough."

And then he was gone. Race smiled to himself as he ducked inside, climbing into the elevator with an unshakable feeling of giddiness in his chest. 

Sean Conlon. The name repeated itself in his head over and over as he couldn’t shake the grin off of his face. Aside from the brief introduction Jack had given him, he had no idea who he was, but for whatever reason, that didn’t scare him off. He legitimately wanted to get to know him and, for someone used to being the “antisocial twin”, he usually preferred to stay away from new people as much as possible. 

But Sean was sweet and he protected him. He actually seemed to care about him even though they barely knew each other. 

Jack did say something about them being partners, though. Race could only hope he’d be seeing more of this guy from now on. 

Eager to get back to the theater for the evening show, he headed straight for the bathroom, applying his costume makeup for what was probably the hundredth time, and styling his hair. Usually, he just went through the motions, but as he looked into the mirror, the face looking back at him was different. He looked...brighter. 

He smiled softly, satisfied with what he had done as he left his things out on the counter for Kath to use when she got home. 

And, speak of the devil, the front door opened and the loud clicks of her shoe heels echoed through the apartment. 

“Tony!” Katherine called from the living room, not sounding mad, but rather just trying to find him. Race groaned and dragged himself out to meet her for what he knew would be a lecture. 

“What?” He grumbled sheepishly as he stepped out of the bathroom. 

“Oh, thank god,” Katherine spoke as she rushed to hug her brother. Her bags dropped to the ground and she wrapped her arms tightly around him. 

“Kath, I’m fine, seriously,” he sighed, gesturing to himself as he rolled his eyes. 

“Dammit Tony, can't you just let someone care about you for once?" She snapped, frustration and stress reaching its boiling point and creating an outburst. 

* * *

 

Race flinched at the sudden abrasive tone and shut his eyes tight, gripping his arms as if to shrink back away from the conversation. Katherine paused, taking a deep breath as he looked at her brother, guilt rushing over her as she retaliated quickly. 

"Race, I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to, I was just really worried about you," she spoke with a weak smile, reaching out her hand to lightly graze his shoulder. The boy practically lept away from her, staggering backwards as a pained and terrified sound forced its way out, despite Race trying so incredibly hard to keep it all in. " _Tony_."

He looked up at her, backing against the wall and sinking down to the floor. Katherine slowly approached him, careful to keep her hands far away as she sat, folding her legs in front of him at a respectable distance.

She took a deep breath, staying mindful of her tone and speaking in a near whisper. "Tony, you don't have to be okay right now. It's clear you aren't and there's nothing wrong with that so before we do anything, I want you to follow what I do and take a deep breath."

The boy nodded meekly and mimed his sister's actions as he took in a shaky breath. He couldn't do it right,  _he couldn't do it right, she'll be ma-_

"It's okay, let's just try it again. In for five, out for seven," she continued, a cautious comfort in his tone. 

Race nodded slightly frantically, a terrified stature about him. 

They tried again, and again, and again after that, over and over until Katherine reached out to take one of his hands and he didn't immediately flinch away. His hands were still shaking, but the moment Kath had the green light to continue, she held it tightly and Race did the same. He broke, tears spilling out of the corners of his eyes as Katherine rubbed the back of his hand as if to calm him down. 

"Race, I'm not going to make you say anything you don't want to," she stared, taking note of the way the boy shuddered before agreeing. "But I need to know how to help you get better and help you get through this, okay?"

"T-thank y-y-you," he stumbled out relaxing slightly. 

"Of course," Katherine beamed, somewhat proud of herself for making progress. 

"A-after rehearsal th-this man, he...he just w-wouldn't leave me alone," he whimpered, fiddling with the frayed ends of his sweater and keeping his head hung low. "I t-tried to get him off me, b-but he just...held  _tighter_."

A painful sob burst from his lips, one he had clearly been trying to muffle, but he simply gave up, pulling his hand away from Katherine's as he wrapped his arms around himself, clawing at his sleeves and shoulders. The unsteadiness of his breaths returned and he felt his head start spinning, his vision going blurry and his heartbeat ringing in his ears. 

"I-I didn't kn-know what he was-s-s going to d-do to me," he cried, Katherine wanting desperately to help, but not knowing how. She could feel her own hot tear tracks running down her cheeks as she retook his hands, trying to reinstate the breathing techniques. "I th-th-thought he was g-going to...to-"

"Never," Katherine mumbled, choking out a sob as she wrapped her arms around him, breaking his closed-off position as he quickly clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder as his arms looped around her shoulders. "You're gonna be okay, Tony. I got you, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you, not again."

* * *

 

And so they stayed just like that for longer than either of them could tell. The sun was beginning to set and the hours before the show were dwindling down so, once they were both deemed "alright" by simple standards, Katherine went to go get ready to leave as Race took one last trip into the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face and hope for the best. Once Katherine had her makeup on, touching up her brother's a bit as well, they packed up anything else they could need, donned their coats and headed back out the door, not speaking any longer about what had happened earlier unless legitimately necessary. On the way there, it was clear Katherine was making quite the effort to take the emptiest streets possible on the way to the theater, on hopes of easing the boy's nerves a little, but she could tell the nerves were very much still there. His body trembled as he held tightly to her arm, not lifting his head much higher than what was necessary to see the person walking in front of them's shoes. 

As they finally arrived back at the theater, Race was pleasantly surprised by the lack of questions and interrogations from everyone else around, meaning Jack and Sean had opted to keep their little 'rendezvous' from earlier a secret to the others. He smiled a little at the courtesy as he got changed and ready for the show, some of his nerves disintegrating. He met Katherine backstage as the show neared its start time, the two beginning to stretch out together before heading up into the rafters to get their equipment ready. For once that day, everything seemed as usual. 

That was, until he headed upstairs and found Sean, peering over the main stage.

"Hey," Race spoke up, a faint pink glow covering his cheeks as Sean looked over to face him. 

"Oh, hi sorry I didn't think anyone would be up here," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

Race chuckled and brushed it off quickly. "Well, that's basically what we do here. You kinda have to be up in the rafters."

"Right," Spot blushed, a small laugh breaking his composed façade.

Race glanced over to Katherine, holding up his first finger to tell her to wait as she wiggled her eyebrows before ducking away to get set up. 

"So are you watching from up here? I'll tell you, it's not the best seat in the house if you're looking to see the stage."  
  
Spot bit his lip, looking down slightly as the two walked shoulder-to-shoulder around to the opposite end of the theater. 

"Well, it's definitely the best to see you," he gushed, internally winking the moment the words left his mouth. 

Race froze, a small squeak-like noise coming from him as he went beet-red. He looked over at Spot, just as awkward and flustered as he was, and matched his grin. 

"I guess I'll try to give you a good show then," he finished, taking his place on the platform and unhooking the trapeze bar from its place. "Hope I don't disappoint."

Spot rolled his eyes half-heartedly, a smile remaining on his face. 

"Like you could even if you tried."

And with that, the house lights went down and music from the jazz band behind the stage began to slowly build. Race turned and gave Spot one final wink before jumping off the balcony, his hands gripping tightly to the bar as he met Katherine on the other side of the stage. The crowd 'ooh'-ed and 'ahh'-ed as they swung back and forth and in circles, up and down, and in so many ways that no one present had ever thought possible. 

Spot was mesmerized. He would've said he expected it to be spectacular, even just from the brief part he had seen during their rehearsal, but there was something unexplainable about watching the boy and his sister captivating the crowd like that. They moved so effortlessly it truly was magic and as Spot watched on, mouth agape and eyes wide, he couldn't believe he almost doubted Jack's offer. The circus wasn't some joke to take children to see just to get a cheap laugh. No, the circus was a true masterpiece of over a dozen completely unique talents all coming together in the most seamless way to make something beautiful. It wasn't simple, not by any means, but they made it seem as if it was. They simply let the years of being ignored and cast into the shadows disappear for just a little while for the chance to make other people happy and if that wasn't a miracle, then there simply was no such thing. 

So Spot was glad he joined. He didn't care about the life he had left behind, or the risk of joining something that could so easily fall apart with a few bad reviews because this truly was something special and if it only lasted for a short while, so be it. He'd give up his life's work for a chance to be a small part of the magic without a second thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again to everyone for reading/commenting/giving kudos!!!
> 
> there's a l o t coming soon *cough* dAVEY *cough* but yeah i'm really excited for these next upcoming chapters and i hope you guys liked this chapter!!!


	4. never enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the jackcrutchie/javid interlude! i know these guys have been stuck in the background for a while, but i decided to keep this mainly sprace (i.e. taking out a million dreams from the timeline of the story even though it's my favorite song lol). still, i did want to get some sort of a background plot so here goes nothing! as i'm writing this summary, i don't even know where i'm going to go with this so there literally might not be any sprace in this but we'll see

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so for anyone that skipped the last chapter, here's a brief summary of what happened:)
> 
> spot walked race back to his apartment after the incident outside the theater and he's basically in shock for a while until katherine gets home, freaks out, and unintentionally sets him off. he has a panic attack, but kath helps hhim through it before they head back to the theater for the show. as they go to set up, they find spot waiting upstairs planning to watch the show from the rafters. he and race share a cute moment and he is thoroughly mesmerized by the performance and is high-key whipped
> 
> also, i'm so so so sorry that i didn't update this for so long, but i'm re-watching the movie as i write this right now and i'm going to try to finish this at some point lol. thanks to anyone who stuck around:)

In the weeks following Sean's joining the circus, it truly felt as if the missing piece of their small, mismatched family had finally been found. Ticket sales were still booming, new routines and dances were being added to the show every week, and the people just couldn't get enough. Jack, most of all.

When they had first met as kids, Jack and Charlie became secret best friends almost instantly. Whilst Charlie was the son of a rich lawyer in the city, Jack was simply a tailor's boy, the only reason for them ever meeting being his father's business with the Morris family. He had only recently begun accompanying his father to his work calls, but that would hardly last long because the moment he saw that boy being taught proper manners by his father as his mother was fitted for her gown, Jack couldn't take his eyes off of the boy. He settled for making him laugh as his attention-grabbing move of choice, ultimately getting him kicked out of the house, but allowing them to run off and play together for the day without their parents' knowledge. Jack took an instant liking to the boy, after he snuck out of his bedroom window, meeting Jack on the shore and telling him the news that he would be off to finishing school the next morning.

That was the day Jack promised that one day they would have a life together and he would fill it with magic and wonder and as many beautiful things as he could find. 

And so, from that moment on, the two were inseparable, despite being separated most of their lives. They wrote each other dozens and dozens of letters, spoke on the telephone when they had the luxury, and not a day went by when they stopped dreaming of escaping their lives together. 

They didn't care one bit what anyone else thought, they just wanted to be together. If it was wrong, they definitely weren't going to let that stop them, even when they had just moved in together and Charlie's older brother and his wife were tragically killed overseas, leaving behind his two young nieces. He eagerly took in the two girls, Caroline and Helen Morris, and he and Jack finally had a family of their own. Sure, there were countless leaks in the ceiling and they didn't always have lights in the apartment, and they couldn't replace torn or outgrown clothes as often as they'd like, but they were happy.

_"Jackie, how did you possibly convince the bank to loan us enough money to buy a theater?" Charlie beamed, stepping lightly on his toes and the two headed down the road, Caroline and Helen skipping excitedly ahead of them. "Darling, we can barely keep shoes on the girls' feet as it is!"_

_Jack just linked arms with the smaller boy and led him to the front steps of what would soon become their new home._

_"Kelly's American Museum of Curiosity!" Caroline's gleeful voice broke their trance-like conversation as, before they all knew it, they were posing with a photographer in front of the building._

_"What kind of museum is it?" Helen asked, bouncing on her feet as her sister ran ahead to peek in through the glass doors._

_"Ahh," Jack mused, leading his family into the museum, savoring the curiosity on all three of their faces. "Darlings, this is a place to be transported. A place where people can see things they've never seen before."_

_"Wax...figures?" Charlie spoke, dejection seeping slightly into his tone._

Jack sensed the growing confusion and slight disappointment as he explained the concept, leading them all around the stage. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but he had hope and that had gotten them that far already. He and Charlie had created their whole life on hope and dreams alone, and that would get them even farther. He was sure of it. 

Maybe it was for the best that the wax figures hadn't lasted long. Maybe the girls' late night ideas were the true gift of his reckless ambition. 

So, when he began hiring real acts, building a family of real people to make something just far enough from reality to be entertaining. It was to be a display of every type of person, big and small, young and old, anyone that didn't fit in now had a place to belong to. His daughters, as they had begun to accept being called, were ecstatic. They were enthralled by the dream of tomfoolery and the excitement of the small tricks they would play on the new audience each night. They grew to love everyone in the show, even so much as to call them part of their little family, a feat that even Jack and Charlie had to work for. 

But, as always, they were still happy. 

So happy that, as their small family business began to grow, they were willing to open up their arms to another. 

Jack quickly grew quite fond of Sean. Sean Conlon was a famous name throughout New York, but the young entrepreneur didn't seem to care. He had the same passion for the circus that Jack possessed and became a protegé of sorts for the man. 

None, however, had a connection with him like that of one David Jacobs. Not even Charlie. 

Jack and David were different, though. He loved Charlie with all his heart, they knew each other better than they knew themselves, but David just had...something about him that mesmerized Jack every time the boy opened his mouth. He truly did have the voice of an angel. 

An opera singer, the most famous in all of Europe at that. He had sold out shows for years, dozens of times more than any other performer in the continent, but Jack had a plan to expand that. Ever ambitious, he proposed an agreement with the other. To come to New York with Jack and his company, perform for the most prestigious crowd in the whole state, and become the most famous singer, not only in Europe, but in America as well. 

Jack didn't need to hear him sing. Hell, if his reputation was anything like Jack's, anyone could tell his talent just by the way another in the business said his name. 

So, as the circus company returned back to New York from London, David Jacobs was right there with them. 

And, by god, was that show a success. Jack Kelly's name was forever changed that night as a man who made his living tricking the good people of New York City, to a connoisseur of the fine arts. 

That night, the moment the show began, he stood off in the wings with the most subconsciously awestruck look on his face. The boy with the voice of an angel had trusted him to make the greatest show possible and there he was, mystifying everyone with the sheer beauty of a voice like that of a nightingale. 

From that moment on, Jack was addicted. 

He couldn't stop planning. More performances, more cities, more concert halls, and a nationwide tour. He couldn't afford it, not in the slightest, but he had hope. He had hope and a crazy dream, just like always. 

His heart broke to leave his family. He had finally been able to give them everything he had promised Charlie all those years ago when they were just kids. They bought the old mansion the two used to explore as kids, the had enough money for new clothes and shoes whenever they needed them, and even Caroline got her very own pair of ballet slippers. 

But Jack had to leave it all behind. He told himself it would all be worth it in the end, that once he and David returned from their tour, he would never have to worry about being able to take care of his family ever again. It would all be worth it if he could guarantee the look of wonder in Charlie's eyes and a smile on his face for the rest of their lives. That was all he had ever wanted, after all. 

He was doing it for Charlie. For Charlie, and Caroline, and Helen. 

He reminded himself in every city as he thanked his little family at the end of every show. He reminded himself when he sensed something different about David and could see the mischief in his deep brown eyes. He reminded himself that night on the stage as David performed his last show in the newly-cancelled tour that as their lips met, he knew just want he didn’t want and, while David was undeniably handsome and had the most beautiful voice he’d ever heard, Charlie was the only thing he ever wanted. 

He just hoped it was still an option to have him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there's another chapter! im sOSOSOSOSOOOOO excited for the next two chapters y'all have no idea!!! i'm going to be doing the next chapter (this is me) a little differently from how it is in the movie mainly just because i want more sprace and i also didn't write them going to the uk where they met davey so i had to set it up differently
> 
> but then it's rewrite the stars and im SO HYPED ABOUT IT
> 
> so yeah thanks so much to eveyone who has stuck around so far and i can't wait for everyone to see what's next!

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to everyone for reading!!! i'm so excited for this fic and i promise more characters will be introduced soon, but this was sort of a prologue before the real plot begins. also, i know i usually write really long stuff, but these chapters will be pretty short so that i can update more often:)))))
> 
> comments/kudos/etc are greatly appreciated!! <3


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